>> roll call. >> commissioner bonita and lev are on their way. >> i will make an announcement for those in the audience that item 11, the outside music festival permit will not be on the agenda. we will put that off, make sure it is properly posted. with that let us proceed. >> just a reminder to everyone. if you can please turn off any electronic sounding devices. on public comment. general public is item number four. it is again item number 12. so general public comment. you can comment on any items on calendar, but if it is not on calendar we ask you comment under those items. each person will have three

minutes under public comment. we ask in order to allow ample time for all there is not a conversation going back and forth. to have your public comment and the commission can ask to answer questions afterwards. with that we are on item 2, the president's report. >> thank you. there are a couple items i want to announce and go over. one, we have had a couple ground breakings and completed projects. i want to congratulate the staff. go out and see a first-class facility. they restored a clubhouse and to make sure it got properly treated. we had a great ground breaking of the boedecker park in the tenderloin.

i want to thank the commissioner that. is a true public partnership with the land and sponsors and the state, thank you. to the tune of about $4 million. that is terrific. we will look forward to that project moving forward. speaking of the trust for public land i'm proudly stealing the thunder of part of the general manager's report but last week, for those of you know, the trust republic land is one of the largest philanthropic entities in the country participating in open space, the development of open space areas around the country. they conducted a survey of the largest cities in the country. if my eyesight serves me well, they have a program called park score.

and that is basically where -- this writing is way too small. but they assess the park systems in the largest systems in the country and give them a score based on the condition, proximity, size and scope of recreation and park facilities. san francisco, i am proud to say, came in number one as the best park system in the country. everybody should take credit with that. they presented the mayor and me with an etched park bench, the mayor has in his office, and will have it sitting there just to tell everybody how proud he is of us having the best parks system in the country. that leads me to another congratulatory note, prop b. everybody -- again, everybody. from the mayor to the trust republic land to the board

of supervisors, all 11 members to the san francisco port alliance, volunteers and staff, a hearty congratulations. let me inform you of numbers, just to reinforce this. there were seven down ticket ballot measures on the ballot, prop a through g. the park bond received more votes than any of those on the ballot. this demonstrates what we know every time we meet here. everybody loves their parks and has an opinion about them in san francisco and oftentimes never hesitate to let us know what those opinions are. we welcome those opinions. they proved it by turning out 300,000 votes. the bond measure almost received almost 72%, yes.

that is up from 2008. 71.33. it is up 71.99. if there were a valid test about how we are doing with our parking system, we increase the number of people supporting what we are doing here. so i want to send to the staff a real congratulations. i know how hard everybody is working under increasingly difficult circumstances. financially and economically. so to get more votes and more enthusiastic support for what we are doing is very heart ening. [applause] >> yes. finally we were at a presentation at harding. the swap cup will be coming

back. a congratulatory note to the staff. that is a major event with the p.g.a. we appreciate their participation. that concludes my report. >> is there public comment under the president's report? being none, public comment is closed. we are on item number three, the general manager's report. >> good morning, commissioners. thank you, mr. president. it's been a good couple weeks for parks. even moving back to the incredible events we had with the skateboarders, game four of the world series followed by a parade that welcomed hundreds of thousands of people to the civic center area to

proposition b to the ground breaking of boedecker park yesterday. it's been an extraordinary week. yes the beloved bench, our version of the stanley cup, and it will move around from location to location and will end up in the mayor's office in 200 for a with while. the best qualitative stat about the urban park score that ended up the best in the country is 96% of san franciscans live within a ten-minute walk of a park. think about that. there is no other city in the country that can claim that. we are very proud. that is an honor which celebrates the city's commitment to parks but also the incredible wisdom

and vision of our -- those who have come before us in building a parks system so there is a lot to be proud about. a few short announcements looking forward. this friday we are able to celebrate the grand reopening of the sunset recreation center. friday november 16th at 6:00. it will reopen after a $14 million renovation. this was made possible through the 2008 clean and safe neighborhoods fund program. it is another example how our bond dollars are working to make park and recreation dollars better across the city. i was able to take an advance tour of the nearly complete site last week. it is going to amaze. it is really, really spectacular. tomorrow you can get a head start on thanksgiving at the turkey cook-off. a no recipes barred

competition between youth and staff of each of the centers. this is one of the best and certainly most tasty events. you get to join the fun. anybody who wants to come can judge the award for best turkey, best side dish and best dessert. the best get started at 7:00 at potrero hill rec center. bring your appetite and your baggy tents. tree lighting. celebrate the season at the annual holiday tree lighting at the lodge in golden gate park thursday december 6th, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., featuring free carnival rides, arts and crafts, cookies and live visit from santa. visit sfrec.org. this is one of our four family friendly events we have throughout the year that includes scare grove,

which we just successfully hosted in stern grove over halloween. extravaganza, a spring festival in golden gate park and play day on the green, which last summer was a summer event that we hosted here at civic center. one final kudos were recognition before moving on to our -- this month's video. last night i had the great honor of attending at sunny side conservatory the outdoor educator's graduation ceremony. this is the first graduation ceremony for this program. it is a program that was convened by an organization called the foundation for youth investment. a partner of ours focused on getting kids outside.

this is an indepth ten-week instructor training program for young urban adults who demonstrate high interest and aptitude for the outdoors. this focuses on competencies, leadership skills and pathways for a career in the outdoor education field. the first graduating class had eight graduates who completed six-month course where they end up with back country rescue training certificates and a number of different competencies, including ropes course facilitator training. wilderness first responder training. kayak training. environmental training. they did a backcountry expedition. we were a partner and hosted and arranged for swim and water rescue curriculum. i want to thank jim wheeler

for working with the foundation of youth investment. we made a sitting contribution in terms of pool and staff to this program which also gave the kids water safety and lifeguard training. what is so fabulous. i got to here each of the eight individuals speak during the graduation ceremony, all eight grow up in neighborhoods where there was no exposure to the outdoors. all eight spoke with great passion of how important this program was and how they want to devote their lives, their careers -- professional careers to helping welcome both their peer and younger adults to the outdoors and give them the same exposure and

training. it was touch a touching event and such a poignant reminder of work we do. we were truly honored to have been a partner in the endeavor. now, without further adieu, jamie. this month in parks. ♪ [ indiscernible ]

>> this comes out of a 2.5 million investment through a 2008 parks and safety bond. corrects the access and updates landscaping and makes an open space open for more use. ♪ >> this was concrete now

sand. this is a great example. i can't wait to climb and shoot baskets with some of the kids from shalom school as well. this is one of the great examples of our city's resources really helping to make our city more lovable. >> today marks the beginning. a re-creation of community and hope. a re-creation of opportunity. we need simply this. you come, if you like this park. that you show the world when you invest in people that it matters. >> that concludes the

general manager's report. although i believe commissioner lowe. >> thank you, mr. president. i want to compliment the staff and department on putting together a citizen's advisory committee for the palace of fine arts. being involved it is a very vibrant and vocal process. it encourage all to attend the public meetings on december 5th and december 12th. there's a lot of creative and great ideas coming out of the process. i encourage all to attend. >> thank you. ditto that remark. that is right. let's move on. >> public comment. i have three cards. george wooding, katherine howard and andrea oleri. >> good morning

commissioners. my name is george gooding. i represent the college for san francisco neighborhoods. i would like to speak for a moment. now that the election proposition b has concluded, it is time to take a closer look at the results and what the numbers really mean. the coalition for san francisco neighborhoods representing 46 groups, the more than 25 additional organizations and is over 85,000 citizens have voted no on proposition b deeply love their parks, including people from conservative, moderate and progressive backgrounds. these people are joined together in their deep concern for the management of their park system. according to yesterday's sf examiner, the proponent spent over 950,000 promoting the bomb, the

highest expenditure involving local propositions, over 100 times greater than mere funding spent by the no amb. in fact, yes amb spent 4 cents a vote compared to 10 cents a vote sent by no on b. despite this lopsided expenditure, if we compare to the 2008 bond it only managed to increase margin of support by less than half a percent. why did this extraordinary campaign funding difference have so little difference on the electorate? the reason is san franciscans are concerned about the future of their parks. our parks need increased general funding for maintenance and operations. not another capital bond which will build new structures without the funds to manage, maintain and staff them. our parks need to be revered as parkland. not viewed as sites for

potential development. our parks need to be held at public assets, not site specific revenue machines. our parks need funding source that does not depend on limiting access for very resources created with the intent that they be made available to everyone. we will continue to urge the management policies back to the core mission of providing the broadest access to parks for everyone. giving all san franciscans a voice and stewarding precious resources for today and the future generations. >> thank you. >> katherine. >> i would like to echo mr. wooding's sentiments, all the people who worked on no on b. we love our parks. we think there are very serious issues that need to be addressed. we always look forward to working with the commission and department on these issues.

>> thank you. >> thank you. >> is there anyone else who would like to make public comment? lewis, come on up. >> good afternoon commissioners. parks department. phil ginsberg and the general public. welcome to this timely recreation and park meeting. 10 a.m. usually these were in the afternoon when more people from the public could attend them. and it wasn't so conflicting with their schedule. i feel that is the plan and design of this commission and this recreation and park department, which is

to circumvent public access and public comment. notifying the public with a timely manner within the brown act, something that this government seems to circumvent. many, many violations of the sunshine department are routine in this recreation and park department. cultivating the desecration of western culture. that is what is going on within this recreation and park department. if you cannot see either

the ramifications or collateral damage this department has achieved, then you are seriously deceiving yourself and the general public. you have caused immense suffering, hardship and devastation to the bay area. city and county of san francisco and all of the people that have lived in it. it is similar to the feeling in benghazi. september 11th, 2012. nobody here to answer your concerns. nobody here that cares. nobody here that is watching what is really going on. thank you for your time. have a great day. and enjoy your thanksgiving. >> thank you. >> is there anyone else?

richard, come forward. that is not this one. it is the next one. okay. richard. >> good morning, commissioners and general manager. i would like to speak in support of what's happening on the complications we have been having throughout the county. i like the idea of innovative new projects or anything that comes up where trying to gain more capital for the department use. we are also looking at different places where you don't have any funding, then you don't have programs. i would just like to give a little extra support to mr. ginsburg in trying to make up for what's not going to come from federal, state or county moneys, thank you. >> thank you. >> is there any public comment on the general manager's report? being none, public comment is closed. we are now on item number

four, general public comments. at this time members of the public may address the commission on items of interest to the public within the support matter jurisdiction and do not appear on the agenda. with respect to agenda items your opportunity to address the commission will be afforded when the item is reached in the meeting. so andrea. >> good morning commissioners, andrea leary. well-known and grass roots organizations from all sizes and all over san francisco were joined by almost 86,000 citizens to support a no-vote on proposition b. dedicated and informed citizens undertook this overwhelming task knowing important information about our park systems management was not being delivered through all the expected civic and media channels. park advocates are more dedicated and more devoted

than ever to assure a voice for all the citizens, all of who love parks and are committed to realizing the system where parks serve people first not all their neighborhoods. of opponents of this bond entered this election with a goal of creating a debate. a real debate about the real condition of the parks and how we need to increase the general funding for maintenance and operations. we expected to look at for another bond within the next couple of years. giving us time to secure some sort of funding resource in order to manage, maintain and staff park facilities that are closed. educated voters in san francisco want to show a leadership that we can reward leadership for good public policy that rewards and supports a department. if paid for by taxes, not -- at the expense of public

service. looking to going forward to building a infrastructure of deeply committed incidents to support the department and redirect management policies back to its core purpose of stewarding resources and providing access to all parks versus select few. this is just a beginning for us. we are dedicated. we will see this through and not going anywhere. we have a primary goal. the hard work on looking at the prize in the end to give a real voice to citizens of this city. to value and listen to what they have to say to r what is g

on at coit tower. when i started this for the second time a couple years ago the art commission in rec and park weren't talking. but the general manager made staff changes, now the two -- art commission and rec and park are talking, which i think is a most important accomplishment. things are moving in the right direction at coit tower. right now they are working on doing emergency repair on the roof and in the spring. you need to start restoring the murals. apparently there won't be enough funding for all the works to go about raising

more money for that. the other thing that concerns me -- my wife and i worked on this in 1998. there was a report that the art commission commissioned. one of the when there's damage that we be proactive in protecting the murals and need to think just like the museum of modern art or any museum we need to think of coit tower as a museum. though it wasn't designed as a museum, it was

supposed to be a restaurant but it is what it is. hopefully we can go forward in making sure these murals will stay protected. thank you. >> thank you. >> linda. >> first i would like to crate you. felt very honored, i would say, when i heard we were voted the best in the usa. i perform in parks all over the country, is it true. on a yalerly basis from new york to the bay down to a city called l.a. over to dallas and new orleans is it true. up to aspen and boulder too. i see many, many children every year, you see.